OLAADEGBU:


Why did God kill 42 lads merely for saying Elisha was bald?
by Matt Slick

2 Kings 2:23-24, "Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the way, young lads came out from the city and mocked him and said to him, "Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!" 24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two lads of their number."

Why would God allow two bears to kill 42 young lads simply for saying Elisha was bald? Let's take a look. Elisha was travelling from Jericho to Bethel when a group of young men verbally accosted him. Forty-two (42) is a large number of people, and they were probably an organized group who had gone out to challenge Elisha. Their mockery implied a malicious intent, especially when the culture of the time insisted on showing respect to their elders. Furthermore, the statement--"go up you baldhead!"--has cultural significance. First of all, "go up" is probably a reference to Elisha;s predecessor, Elijah, ascending to Heaven (2 Kings 2:11). In other words, they are stating they want Elisha gone, and since Elijah had gone on to the "next world," the implication is they wanted Elisha dead. Also, the epithet 'baldhead' was one of "contempt in the East, applied to a person even with a bushy head of hair." 1 Lepers had to shave their heads, so such a statement could easily have been a deliberate and malicious insult--something dangerous in a mob that can quickly get out of hand.

Given the challenge of the youths, their intimidating number which could constitute a mob, their veiled threat, the contemptuous attitude, and the fact that Elisha was the prophet of God, the Lord allowed the youths to be destroyed.

But, God did not break his own moral law. The Bible says do not murder. Murder is the unlawful taking of life. But, all people have sinned against God and are worthy of death (Rom. 3:23, 6:23). So, God had them killed according to the Law.

Whatever rocks your boat...

Msteewwww

Pyrrho:


Whatever rocks your boat...

Msteewwww

What's wrong with rocking my boat?

Will the children now enter heaven or do they still go to hell just for calling someone a bald head?

OLAADEGBU:


What's wrong with rocking my boat?

It's actually a good thing for your health.

I mean... how can you not worship a God who "allowed 42 the youths to be destroyed"?

You would be stupid for not believing that he is a God...

Weah96:


Will the children now enter heaven or do they still go to hell just for calling someone a bald head?

When you get there you will find out.

Weah96:
Will the children now enter heaven or do they still go to hell just for calling someone a bald head?

We all know the answer to that one!

Pyrrho:
It's actually a good thing for your health.

I mean... how can you not worship a God who "allowed 42 the youths to be destroyed"?

You would be stupid for not believing that he is a God...

This is true Christianity, my broda! Never question. Ever.

We must always praise power. Perfect obedience through absolute fear will bring riches and a life of eternal worship when we die.

Fear Him. He is good.

TrajansKong:


This is true Christianity, my broda! Never question. Ever.

We must always praise power. Perfect obedience through absolute fear will bring riches and a life of eternal worship when we die.

Fear Him. He is good.

That is your master the devil that you are afraid of. Don't confuse yourself. Fear God and live.

ayoku777:


All the examples you gave here are for when people prayed to God and God declined. This is different from when people use the authority or gift God gave them in a way contrary to God's character.

There is a difference between a scenario of you coming to me and saying, Ayo, give me a gun I want to kill my boss. And I will tell you no I won't give you.

And another scenario where I give you a gun for your protection and you use it at your liberty to kill your boss.

Elisha did not pray to God to curse the children; Elisha cursed them in the name of the Lord. And it was done. One of the perks of authority is a level of autonomy.

When God makes you something or gives you something, He doesn't always impose His will on you over your choice of how you use what He made you or gave you. He gives you autonomy in the use of that gift or authority. And depending on your own spiritual maturity in the fruit of the Spirit, you can use or abuse the gift or authority.

God made David King and gave him the throne; but was it God that made David sleep with Beersheba and kill Uriah her husband?

No, that was all David, abusing his God-given authority as a king. God even rebuked David for that.

It was God that gave Solomon wisdom and made him rich above all the kings of the earth. But was it God that made him have 700 wives and 300 concubines?

No, that wasn't God; that was all Solomon, abusing the riches.

This principle is true for all forms of God-given authority. Spiritual or supernatural authority, positional or leadership authority and financial or material authority.

God does not always impose His own will on His servants on how they use the authority He gives them. That's why those servants can sometimes misuse or abuse the gifts by using it in a wrong attitude or character that doesn't reflect that of God.

To say that everything a servant of God does with his God-given authority is done by God or reflects the character of God, is a very ignorant statement and a very presumptive conclusion.

That opinion presumes that what God gives you can only be used how God wants you to use it and for what He wants you to use it. And that God-given gifts and authority cannot be misused or abused. That is so untrue scripturally.

To know the Father, look at the Son -Jesus Christ the Word of God; the communication of the character of the Father. He is the true reflection of the nature of God. That's why He said,

John 14v9 -...he that hath seen me hath seen the Father;

God bless.

@ayoku777 you did made a very profound statement. And this has ever been my stands. The way we view things before christ is differents from the ways we view it now especially those who are bornagain.

Good one there.

But I will still have an issue with you depending on your stand to this question.

Now do you believe, that God will burn person with fire whom he created with sand forever for disobeying his commandment

Thank you in advance.

Though I will still like to follow you. Goshen360 is still my very good teacher. I love people that have a very good knowledge of the bible.

johnydon22:


First the story in 2 Kings 2:23-25 never stipulated the number of kids allegedly calling Elisha baldy. . . Am sure we all know you actually are the one assuming a higher number so as to throw in the commotion saga.

2.) Their is no way 2 bears can maul 42 boys even if there was a commotion unless of course the bears possessed the speed of light making them able to kill faster than normal.

Hmmmmm but two men can kill forty two persons?

Princewell2012:


@ayoku777 you did made a very profounding statement. And this has ever been my stands. The way we view things before christ is differents from the ways we view it now especially those who are bornagain.

Good one there.

But I will still have an issue with you depending on your stand to this question.

Now do you believe, that God will burn person with fire whom he created with sand forever for disobeying his commandment

Thank you in advance.

Though I will still like to follow you. Goshen360 is still my very good teacher. I love people that have a very good knowledge of the bible.

His 'profound' statement can be paraphrased as this,"the holy spirit is a nonsensical entity that could still duel in a Hitler(since he was once an alter boy) and whose powers can be employed in pepetrating any act,whether good or evil .

crusadistic:

His 'profound' statement can be paraphrased as this,"the holy spirit is a nonsensical entity that could still duel in a Hitler(since he was once an alter boy) and whose powers can be employed in pepetrating any act,whether good or evil .

Hmmm so you mean elisha trully acted with the power of the Holyspirit

Then you also said the Holyspirit can be employed to do evil?

pls can you enlight me more?

thanks.

Princewell2012:


@ayoku77 you did made a very profounding statement. And this has ever been my stands. The way we view things before christ is differents from the ways we view it now especially those who are bornagain.

Good one there.

But I will still have an issue with you depending on your stand to this question.

Now do you believe, that God will burn person with fire whom he created with sand forever for disobeying his commandment

Thank you in advance.

Though I will still like to follow you. Goshen36 is still my very good teacher. I love people that have a very good knowledge of the bible.

This was my facebook post some days back. It explains what "Hell" really means relative to heaven. It might help bring some things into perspective.

<<< Isaiah 33v14 -The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. who among us shall dwell with THE DEVOURING FIRE? Who among us shall dwell with EVERLASTING BURNINGS? 15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly.

The difference between heaven and hell is not the fire or the burning. Even heaven is a place of fire and everlasting burning (v14).

The difference is the manifest presence of God. When you reject the presence of God, you automatically choose the absence of God. Once you reject the fire of His presence, you have chosen the fire of His absence. When you reject the everlasting burning of His presence, you have chosen the everlasting burning of His absence.

I hear people saying, How can a loving God send people into hell to burn for eternity?

Hell is not uniquely about fire and burning per se, even heaven is that. Hell is the total absence of the manifest presence of God, hell is the total absence of the glory of God. Hell is when God completely grants the request of sinners for Him to leave them alone. >>>

Then secondly. Another thing you need to understand is that the lake of fire was not prepared for man, according to the scriptures.

Matthew 25v41 -Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS:

Can you see that?

Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. But those who follow the devil will end up where he ends up. If you road-trip with someone, you will end up where the person is headed.

So those who end up in the lake of fire, took themselves there by their own choices. Hell was not prepared for them. They chose to go with the devil, and his end became their end.

And God will not force anyone to follow Him or force anyone not to follow the devil, because there is no force in love. God can only warn and intreat the sinner about where the person he's road-tripping with is headed. And if the sinner chooses to stick with the devil, then him ending up where the devil ends up is not an indictment on God's love and justice.

Shalom.

Children or not, we are all made to serve God's Pleasures, meaning that God always has His own Objectives for every mission. Elijah was John The Baptist who was beheaded even when Christ was around. Christ allowed Himself to be crucified in a public show of bragindage. God had His reasons for allowing that. Those unruly children, like Almajirils, mocked, jeered, booed and actually made Elijah late for the Mission of God he was serving. Elijah just prayed like you and I would do when impeded on a genuine course. God applied His own punishment in His own ways to show us then that He owns us all and would not tolerate any cog in His wheel of progress

When God sends you on a mission, He gives you His Power, Might and Authority to carry it out. Elijah had the full Spirit of God at that time. He was like God when He ordered the Deluge at the time of Noah and when He ordered the distruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. So when those children jeered and distracted Elijah on God mission, they were like seeds that fell on the high way and were scouged by heat and traffic. We are all Children of God but when a group of us, like atheists, choose to mock God, a fiery fire burning with sulfur will consume them. Please note that we are all like those 42 kids in the sight of God and God will always punish us in His own way for our sins unless we quickly repent.

ayoku777:


This was my facebook post some days back. It explains what "Hell" really means relative to heaven. It might help bring sole things into perspective.

<<< Isaiah 33v14 -The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. who among us shall dwell with THE DEVOURING FIRE? Who among us shall dwell with EVERLASTING BURNINGS? 15 He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly.

The difference between heaven and hell is not the fire or the burning. Even heaven is a place of fire and everlasting burning (v14).

The difference is the manifest presence of God. When you reject the presence of God, you automatically choose the absence of God. Once you reject the fire of His presence, you have chosen the fire of His absence. When you reject the everlasting burning of His presence, you have chosen the everlasting burning of His absence.

I hear people saying, How can a loving God send people into hell to burn for eternity?

Hell is not uniquely about fire and burning per se, even heaven is that. Hell is the total absence of the manifest presence of God, hell is the total absence of the glory of God. Hell is when God completely grants the request of sinners for Him to leave them alone. >>>


Then secondly. Another thing you need to understand is that the lake of fire was not prepared for man, according to the scriptures.

Matthew 25v41 -Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS:

Can you see that?

Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. But those who follow the devil will end up where he ends up. If you road-trip with someone, you will end up where the person is headed.

So those who end up in the lake of fire, took themselves there by their own choices. Hell was not prepared for them. They chose to go with the devil, and his end became their end.

And God will not force anyone to follow Him or force anyone not to follow the devil, because there is no force in love. God can only warn and intreat the sinner about where the person he's road-tripping with is headed. And if the sinner chooses to stick with the devil, then him ending up where the devil ends up is not an indictment on God's love and justice.

Shalom.

good one anyway.

Hmmmmm does it mean that God will not be or was unable to deliver his children from his perceive enemy Hmmm Even obama will use all his energy to make sure he rescued his children from his enemy.

Hmmm it seems that too many people wrote the bible and each with their understanding and interpretations.

Now you look on the case of Isaiah 33 vs 14 which u just cited.

I think what we need to do is to get proper meaning of hell. I believe that will help alot.

The bible says God created man in his own image.

So why do we think that will are more merciful than God?

We saw on television when an Indonesian government is hanging some Nigerians citizens for carrying drugs. You know how we feel and some us could not be able to watch the video, cos of fear, they don't want to see it happening in their very eyes.

Ok, hell was made for Satan and his angels right? Sir did know that Satan were not made with sand but with fire. So it will definitely not hurt them but men who go their with them will be the ones that will burn with fire so to you does it make any sense?

Sir i think something is missing somewhere.

Yes there is no force in love but a jealous man can do anything because of his wife even a jealous woman can do the same in other to protect their spouse or children.

So why not God who even go to the extend of sacrificing his only son, and will now allowing Satan to rob him of his beloved children. Pls think again.

Finally if hellfire is so real as we made it to be and as God wanted it to be, why did he not start the manage from the beginning

Did you know how many generations that were between Adam and Jesus

Does job know what hellfire is, have he had about hellfire even heaven, yes he only knows that God is in heaven but have he ever think of going there?

And even if Job or Abraham might had about it, it will only be about normal hell which means grave to their own knowledge. But from genesis to malachi God have never warn anybody about hellfire even in dreams not even any of prophet have talks about it. Did he forget to warn them

These are the questions beging for answer.

So don't you think that something is actually missing somewhere?
Thanks
So that's why i use obama the president of America as a case study.

orunto27:
When God sends you on a mission, He gives you His Power, Might and Authority to carry it out. Elijah had the full Spirit of God at that time. He was like God when He ordered the Deluge at the time of Noah and when He ordered the distruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. So when those children jeered and distracted Elijah on God mission, they were like seeds that fell on the high way and were scouged by heat and traffic. We are all Children of God but when a group of us, like atheists, choose to mock God, a fiery fire burning with sulfur will consume them. Please note that we are all like those 42 kids in the sight of God and God will always punish us in His own way for our sins unless we quickly repent.

sorry, does those lads knows what they were doing?

2 shall we also emulate Elisha?

Thank you.

sorry, do those lads know what they were doing? Ignorance of the Law, Lord, Obedience and Truth is a Sin.

2 shall we also emulate Elisha? Yes. He was Jesus in many respect.

Thank you

I still don't understand how someone can justify such unimaginable evil.. How can such an evil and heartless person as Elisha be a prophet of God? I takes an equally heartless and conscienceless person to justify such atrocity. Because this is plain EVIL. In today's world such a psychopath will be executed at once or locked up.
Imagine the scenario, the yelling and screaming and blood gushing out of the children's throats, eyes, limbs, belly, and the so called 'prophet of God' just stands there with a big smile on his face, feeling victorious. Gives glory to his god and walks away. All because he was insulted by some lads. This is really sickening.
The only comfort i can find in this is that its a lie. Because there really is no justification for such evil if it were true.

tartar9:
Ifeann,truthman2012,ODEMOO…(dont expect anything containing reason from this one),malvisguy212, sylarsquins,Anas09,Macelliot,ProphetUdeme,kay1one2,PastorKun,italo,…
Vs
johnydon22,ooman,Pr0ton,musKeeto, KingEbukasBlog,macof,Logicboy7,plaetton,mmsen,EvilBrain1,davien,…

Ahan na!!! Why una no dey call me, abi una no believe sey me sef exist?

matrix600:
I still don't understand how someone can justify such unimaginable evil.. How can such an evil and heartless person as Elisha be a prophet of God? I takes an equally heartless and conscienceless person to justify such atrocity. Because this is plain EVIL. In today's world such a psychopath will be executed at once or locked up.
Imagine the scenario, the yelling and screaming and blood gushing out of the children's throats, eyes, limbs, belly, and the so called 'prophet of God' just stands there with a big smile on his face, feeling victorious. Gives glory to his god and walks away. All because he was insulted by some lads. This is really sickening.
The only comfort i can find in this is that its a lie. Because there really is no justification for such evil if it were true.

you still try to give the bible god a chance? read the Torah very well, that God was a devil

lordnicklaus:




Ahan na!!! Why una no dey call me, abi una no believe sey me sef exist?

Why are you pitching us up?